Mother, grandfather admit boy's abduction

PETER DRURY/Waikato Times

GUILTY: Kay Skelton and Dick Headley arrive at the High Court in Hamilton yesterday.

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A father and daughter at the centre of a high profile abduction trial today admitted the charges.

Dick Headley, 70, and his daughter, Kay Halton Skelton, 38, pleaded guilty in the High Court at Hamilton  to a single charge of abducting Skelton's son in August 2006.

The plea came in the opening phase of the trial, into its second day after in-chambers submissions delayed the start yesterday.

Headley and Skelton were remanded on bail to reappear for sentencing in December.

Their change of plea ends a long-running saga which began when Skelton's son was taken from Hamilton Public Library.

At the time it was claimed he was taken into hiding in Northland by Headley, who gave the boy up after five months.

Justice John Priestley today told the pair their guilty plea meant  the boy did not have to give evidence against his mother and grandfather.

 "As an eight-year-old that would have been a heavy cross to bear.''

Another woman, Nikala Janice Taylor, 37, pleaded guilty to abduction at the High Court in Hamilton and will also be sentenced in December.

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